Lord of Darkness

Beginnings & School

***One day ownership will be mine... BUT IT IS NOT THIS DAY! ***

Warnings:

I am trying to cut back on the A/N's but I feel this is fairly important for the first chapters. This is a Dark Harry story. That said he will not be a 'Voldemort', walking around the school, casting Killing Curses for the fun of it.

This is also going to be a Godlike Harry fic, as well as a 'Harem' story.

There will be: Implied underage sex and implied sex between individuals who are of age and those who are not.

Lemon content will not be posted on FF due to policies and previous purges of work. It will be posted on Archive of our Own under the same username and story title as it is here.

There will also be: Violence, coarse language, mild descriptions of torture, character death, and scenes of horror.

You have all been warned, do not complain later that something was unexpected if it fits into the above notes.

***LoD***

Fate

Karma

Doom

The entity known as 'Destiny' was known by many names, some flattering and some not, but regardless of what she was called there were certain truths about her existence:

First, she controlled the 'fate' of humans and allowed those known as 'Seers' to view parts of her plan.

Next, there was always a plan.

Third, prophecies could, and would, be as vague as possible.

Finally, meddling old bastards would always be trying to figure things out before they were to happen, and then try to change the result. The purpose of prophecy wasn't to know the future but to be aware of all the paths that life might take. Instead the man known as 'Dumbledore' had proclaimed that one of two children would undoubtedly be the ones to bring down the Dark Lord through the power of love. Which promptly caused said Dark Lord to try and interfere and kill the child, or make his own selection before it was time.

That meant that this had to be changed, because Destiny was, if nothing else, a bit of an asshole to those who sought to cheat, or think too highly of themselves.

Looking at the scene before her, as time slowed to a crawl, the Goddess began to ponder the meaning of the words she had given to the woman named Trelawney.

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives..."

How best to screw with humanity? Luckily the wording was vague and up for interpretation, even luckier was the fact that Destiny herself was the one doing the interpretations.

"And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal"

That was the most interesting line of all. Because how does one define 'equal'. Slowly the pale green energy continued on its path across the room, preparing to take the infant's life.

Obviously the two were not equal in anyway shape or form. But then again the prophecy didn't say when they would be equal... just that the Dark Lord would mark the boy.

As the spell reached the baby, and created a small scar on his forehead, reality came to a halt. Destiny strode casually through the room, stepping over the body of the boy's mother which lay on the ground nearby.

The boy was marked, yet the Dark Lord remained. Even if he was about to be destroyed... at this moment they were not equal.

Voldemort was more powerful magically and had more experience using that magic. He was physically larger and stronger. He was more intelligent, he had an army that would answer his every call, he had political power, fame, fortune, wealth, knowledge, charisma, and even magical artifacts that could be used. He also had the element of surprise, as well as the whole 'immortality' thing going for him.

What did the child have?

Two dead parents... that was about it. Sure, others could, and probably would, come to his aide, but they weren't his followers. They would not blindly charge into battle by his orders, or torture and kill for him.

He had no access to his family's wealth or artifacts, at least not until he had reached adulthood, he had no knowledge of magic, or anything else for that matter, and was rather 'average' in terms of power.

Yes, they truly were the definition of 'unequal'.

So how to change that?

Destiny grinned, it was always so much fun to screw with the preconceived notions that those 'all knowing' assholes always had. To take what they 'knew' was true, and then flip it completely upside down.

Normally, Destiny was limited with her interactions in the world, but not when it came to the future and fulfilling prophecies. In these cases her ability to alter reality skyrocketed.

The boy couldn't be given knowledge, such a thing would change him into someone else and thus could not be allowed. His free will was also off the table, for not even the divine could take away Mankind's ultimate gift. Immortality was not a gift either, for death too was gifted to the race of man by the Creator.

So what did that leave?

Power.

A snap of the fingers and Harry Potter's magic was raised to the level of Voldemort at his peak, aka this very instance. Of course this meant that the boy would grow in power proportional to the fact that this was his 'weakest' but that wasn't Destiny's concern.

Intelligence.

He couldn't be given knowledge, but the potential could be granted. An eidetic memory, the potential for above genius level intellect, a future inclination towards tactics, book smarts, street smarts, magical knowledge, biology, chemistry... and whatever the hell else Humanity placed value on.

Charisma.

Human's could not be made into followers, because that would interfere with free will, but he could eventually be charismatic enough that people would simply flock to him, be manipulated by him, and deceived by him. Increase that with an aura that would draw others to him, whether in servitude or lust it didn't really matter.

Talent.

The boy would need a natural gift in the magical arts to compete with someone who had a sixty year head start on him. Perhaps a natural gift never yet seen in the magical world would balance things out a bit?

Still it wasn't enough.

The scales weren't quite balanced out, even with all of these gifts... so what else?

"Power the Dark Lord knows not" Well that had been vague enough to be of use. Never said it had to be something that anyone knew right? A few new magical abilities never conceived of and the boy would be in a considerably better situation to defend himself.

But still...

He needed something more. A guide to take him on this journey, a companion that would forever be by his side to support him no matter what happened. The problem remained with that pesky 'free will' nonsense...

A slight glance out of a nearby window had the entity grinning. A beautiful snow-white owl sat on a nearby tree.

Perfect.

As for the rest of the imbalances... eh those could be rectified by increasing the boy's magic and natural talent with it... right?

Close enough.

Stepping back Destiny once more allowed time to flow, and watched as the Killing Curse reflected back onto its caster by an act of self-sacrifice.

She grinned.

Hopefully next time Humans would learn to let fate continue naturally, rather than try and screw with it.

***LoD***

"I don't know about this Albus... I have a bad feeling about leaving the boy here..."

"It will be fine Minerva, this is the only way to ensure he grows up without the corruptions of fame and fortune."

"But will he be safe? Will he be cared for?"

"I am sure he will. Lily Evans was one of the kindest individuals I have ever met in my lifetime. I cannot imagine anyone sharing her blood and upbringing could be anything less than a remarkable person as well. There will be wards placed around this home to protect him. He will be safe Minerva."

The woman let out a reluctant sigh, Albus was right... had to be right. The boy would be loved here, and for the right reasons rather than just for the wealth of the family he came from or the mark on his forehead.

"Alright Albus, let's just get this over with..."

The old man nodded, before placing the child on the doorstep of '4 Privet Drive'. A swift knock later and the man vanished, allowing those currently residing in the residence to take up the responsibility of raising the child.

If he had known the consequences of his actions that night he would have never took the boy there. If he had only known...

***LoD***

-Over nine years later-

"Oh this ain good, no no, ain good at all..." Hagrid muttered nervously as he departed from the doorstep of '4 Privet Drive'.

Harry wasn't there. He wasn't living where they dropped him off, in fact according to the fat man he hadn't lived there in over nine years. The Muggle claimed they had dropped the newborn off at an orphanage the next day, refusing to deal with someone else's problem, especially one that was left on their doorstep with only a note as explanation.

Hagrid could blend in enough to go to one small house where the occupants knew about magic.

What he could not do was show up at a Muggle orphanage.

"No no no... ain good. Dumbledore is gonna have words with me though..." The large man promptly used his temporary Portkey to return to Hogwarts, he needed help.

***LoD***

"I'm sorry Hagrid but I simply don't have time. You know that I have other students to visit as well."

"I know, I know but ima beggin ya Professa please!"

The dark skinned woman gave a sigh, she knew that she would cave eventually and help the man but it was such a stressful time of the year.

"I-I can help ya out. How bou I take some of yer duties. I can get yer classroom ready and yer supplies. Please Professa Sinistra..."

"Fine fine, if you could purchase the items on my list I should have enough time to go see whoever this boy is."

Hagrid nodded cheerfully, before taking the list and starting to depart.

"Hagrid?"

"Yesm?"

"The boy?"

"Oh uh ya right yer are. Tracked him down to a orphanage, uh... got the address here somewhere..." the man patted himself down for a second, before pulling out a crumpled piece of paper and handing it to the woman.

"Sorry..."

"It is quite alright Hagrid."

The man nodded and, once again, turned to leave.

"Hagrid..."

Yesm?"

"His name?"

"Oh er right, its Harry Professa, Harry Potter."

The woman practically fainted.

***LoD***

'All Saints Boy's Orphanage'

If ever there was a place in need of repair it was this one. Even magical buildings, with their preference to older looking architectures looked in better shape than this. The grass was yellow and lifeless, the building itself was dull gray, the lower windows were barred, and the upper level were covered in dirt and grime, paint was chipping, pipes were rusted, and the sound of life was noticeably absent.

It was a bleak and terrible place, how the savior of the wizarding world ended up in such a hellhole was beyond the woman. But that was a question for another time, and thus the woman straightened her back to look as professional as possible before making her way inside.

"Name?"

Sinistra blinked at the, middle aged woman sitting behind the glassed off welcome desk.

"Aurora Sinistra, I am here to see a Mr. Harry Potter." The professor hadn't expected much of a reaction, maybe a bit of curiosity as to why she would be visiting an orphan, thus when the woman turned pale white it earned more than a little suspicion.

"S-sign below, w-we are not responsible for a-anything that might go missing or any i-i-injuries you may sustain on property."

The Witch glanced up for a moment, at the now stuttering woman, before finishing her signature with a nod.

"I will be alright, is there anything you can tell me about..."

"No, just... no."

The teacher blinked twice, before making her way in the designated direction.

"Such an odd human being, I wonder if all Muggles are so strange these days..." the professor muttered as she walked up a series of, practically rotting, steps.

"Let's see last room on the left... ah there it is."

A soft tapping on the door earned her a happy 'enter' from inside. Upon entering something felt... odd to the woman. A sudden warmth that filled her senses and her body, an odd feeling of contentment and... desire?

With a mental shake of her head Aurora refocused her attention to the room, there on the worn out bed sat a young boy with messy black hair, torn up clothing, and a book in his hand.

"Mr. Potter?"

The book was lowered, and the woman fought the urge to gasp at the brilliant green eyes that gazed back at her.

"Yes?"

It was the voice of an angel, delightfully charming and light, with an care free tone that warmed the soul.

"I..." discreetly biting her tongue the woman fought back the initial, and rather inappropriate, comments she had been about to make before clearing her throat. "My name is Aurora Sinistra and I am a teacher at Hogwarts. Due to your age I am here to inform you of your admission to our school."

The boy cocked his head to the side, and the older individual's heart fluttered.

"I don't remember applying to your school."

"Oh, well that is because you were chosen at birth. Your parents..." The woman caught sight of the infamous scar on his forehead, and began to stare at it as if lost in thought, therefore she missed the boy's eyes narrowing annoyance.

A rather loud 'hoot' from nearby made the woman jump, as she suddenly noticed the beautiful snow-white owl standing on the open windowsill.

It was staring at her with amber eyes.

Judging her.

"What a pretty owl you have..."

"Thank you, her name is Hedwig. You mentioned my parents?"

"Your... oh yes of course! Your parents paid to ensure your admittance when you were born."

"What were they like? Did you know them? Are they still alive?"

This wasn't what the woman had planned for, but naturally should have. What orphan doesn't want to know about those who had abandoned them?

"They were very noble, I never knew them unfortunately. They passed away close to a decade ago."

"Oh... so what kind of school is this?"

The woman's smile brightened, this was always her favorite part. "Tell me Harry... have you ever noticed anything... unusual happen around you? Maybe something that you can't explain?"

***LoD***

'Mission accomplished' the woman mused as she made her way down the worn out stone path, and away from the orphanage. Harry had been so very eager once she had explained magic, and had even admitted to a few 'odd situations' he had found himself in.

Doors opening before he could reach them.

Water changing colors.

His sight improving by itself a few years prior.

All of these were signs of a vast magical potential, and she had been the one to introduce him to their world! Maybe she would end up owing Hagrid after all; and maybe, if she kept in contact with the boy as his first magical 'friend' she could even begin a relationship with him later on in life.

If he was this handsome and at such a young age, he would undoubtedly be immensely so when he became an older student. In her pondering, and secret fantasies, she never noticed the owl had been watching her ever since her departure.

***LoD***

Harry hummed happily as he lay sprawled out over his mediocre bed with a few pamphlets given to him by the teacher, "What an interesting woman she was."

An indignant hoot sounded from the window as the owl flew across the room, an instance later and in its place was a beautiful girl, appearing as though in her mid teens, with porcelain skin, snow-white hair, and amber eyes. She was thin, with slender arms and legs, and clad only in a knee length white dress.

"I don't like her."

The boy rolled his eyes in amusement, "You don't like anyone" he corrected easily, as he read through them with a certain lack of interest. It was all basic information. Dress code, class overviews, necessary supplies, how to get to the train station, and other useless bits of information.

"I like you."

The green-eyed boy looked up from the items into the amber eyes that stared back at him, before the girl looked away with a slight blush.

"I suppose so, what exactly is it that you disliked about my new friend."

The emphasis wasn't lost, and Hedwig fought back against the anger forming in the pit of her stomach. "The way she was looking at you... like you were a meal to her... It is inappropriate for someone of her... position."

"I don't know, it didn't bother me much."

"You need someone closer to your own age, someone like m..." she snapped her jaw shut before anything else could be said, but it was already too late.

"Correct me if I am wrong, but you were the one who chose not to sleep in the bed anymore."

"I-it isn't appropriate anymore... You are starting to go through that phase."

"I fail to see what the problem is."

His reply was met with a huff, "Of course you don't, you are a borderline teenage boy."

"I also recall that you were the one who would snuggle into me at night" he teased.

The girl didn't quite have a comeback for that statement, and let the room fall into silence. "Are you going to attend?"

He quirked his head slightly to the side at her whispered question, "Of course, this is far too convenient not to. Besides think of all the things I will be able to learn."

"You don't need them... you are far greater than anyone at that school as you are now."

"Perhaps, but it would be a bit odd if I suddenly showed up at this 'Ministry' and declared that I was in charge."

Hedwig nodded, she knew this day would come eventually but she had always secretly hoped that he would turn them down. That it would remain 'them against the world' as it had been for the last decade. That he would simply be content with just her. There would be other girls at Hogwarts, girls that would sense his greatness and be drawn to him.

Why wouldn't they?

The bigger question was, would she interfere... or let nature run its course?

"You know that no matter what happens, no one will ever replace you." Negative thoughts were swept from the pale girl's mind with a single statement, and she smiled warmly back at her boy. Yes, he might take pleasure in other girls, but she would always be his.

"I know."

"You will come with me, yes?"

"Of course, silly boy. You can't get rid of me that easily."

"You will need to stay in your owl form... if the others were to discover what you are..."

"What would you do? If they took me away?" she muttered, tears forming in her eyes at the thought of being separated from him as she had once before. Just as she had been the one constant good thing in his life, he had been the constant in hers.

"I would burn their nation to the ground until I found you."

A glance into his eyes revealed his complete seriousness in the statement, and her heart rate was sent spiraling out of control.

***LoD***

On September first a young boy clad in a black cloak entered platform Nine and Three-Quarters. As he strode towards the large steam train his presence began to garner attention.

"Who is that?"

"How should I know, looks small though, maybe a first year?"

"No way, no first year walks like that."

"What's with his robes?"

"I've never seen clothing that dark before. It is like a new color."

"I wonder where he buys them from."

"Must be a Pureblood, only we can afford such high quality fabrics and shades."

"I wonder if he knows he can't have the owl on the train like that."

"Where are the rest of his things?"

"How should I know?"

"He has the most beautiful eyes..."

And so on until the boy finally reached the train itself, as he did so an older student called out to him. "Excuse me, you can't have your owl out like that."

Sure enough the snow-white owl was perched on the boy's shoulder, perfectly calm despite the other people and animals cluttering the platform.

"Hey, you there! Your owl has to be in a cage, it can't..."

The boy promptly ignored the older boy and stepped onto the train.

***LoD***

Two minutes.

It had taken all of two minutes for Harry Potter to become thoroughly annoyed with the Wizarding World. Who would have thought that they would be just a slightly different form of stupidity than the non-magical world.

They, at least he, wielded near limitless potential and yet they insisted on all wearing the same stupid outfits, carrying the same supplies, with the same animals, all locked in cages. Even worse were the scattered conversations he had already caught.

Apparently gossip was just as annoyingly important as it was at the orphanage. He was infinitely glad that he had remembered to hide his scar beneath his hair prior to arriving or he would have probably left by now.

***LoD***

"Excuse me."

The boy currently occupying Draco's reserved carriage glanced up, and his brilliant eyes stopped the blonde's heart for a second.

"Yes?"

"Y-you are..." Shaking free of the slight fascination that gripped him the Malfoy heir straightened his back and rose up to his maximum height, a trick his father had showed him before arriving that could be used as a sign of royalty and power. "You are in our carriage." Draco finished, gesturing back to the other future Slytherins that stood behind him.

The boy just looked a bit confused, ah definitely not a Pureblood then.

"I don't recall seeing your name on the door..."

"I don't recall asking if you did. Now leave."

For a second, the faintest of seconds, Draco swore he saw something in that boy's eyes. A fire that spoke of power untold, of cruelty immeasurable that could, and would, be inflicted with the slightest of efforts.

But it was gone before the Pureblood could figure out what it was.

"Well I suppose..."

"Great, now get out you dirty Half-blood, or is it Mudblood?" Pansy sneered from behind.

The boy just stared back, and even Crabbe and Goyle shuffled back a step or two in discomfort. Before anything could escalate further a soft hoot from the window broke the silence, and for the first time Draco noticed a white owl sitting on the windowsill, gazing softly at the boy.

Letting out a sigh, and raising his hands in defeat, the boy replied back, "I can't say that I know what either of those terms mean... but if you are so insistent upon this carriage then I shall find a different one to sit in."

With that he departed.

Ten minutes later Draco would realize that the boy hadn't taken any luggage with him.

***LoD***

"I know, I know... I promised I wouldn't kill anyone the first day." the green-eyed boy scowled as he made his way further back onto the train.

A gentle hoot from his shoulder informed him that his companion was at least apologetic about restraining his retaliation, even if the intruders had certainly earned it. Another minute of walking and Harry had located another, nearly empty, cabin. Well it did have a few occupants but...

"Looking for a place to sit?"

The emerald-eyed boy shrugged

"Well come on in, we won't bite... okay maybe Ronnikins will when he is hungry but..."

The twins laughed, and the younger boy, who Harry could only assume was the target of their taunts, turned bright red in anger. As he took the offered seat a rather loud 'pop' went off, covering him, and his owl, in a cloud of colored ink and staining them both.

'Perhaps having him promise not to murder anyone was a mistake' Hedwig pondered, as she contemplated pecking out the eyes of the two older boys, who were falling over each other laughing at their 'prank'.

Harry merely blinked in confusion for a moment or two, before sighing and began wiping the color from his face, unfortunately this also allowed his scar to be revealed, and thus earned gaping from the youngest of the redheads.

"Y-y-your Harry Potter! Blimey mate why didn't you say so!?"

"You didn't ask my name" the raven-haired boy pointed out, as he continued to clean off his face.

"Your famous! What was it like?"

"What?"

"You know, defeating the Dark Lord!"

"What Dark Lord?"

"The one who murdered your parents!"

"A Dark Lord murdered my parents?"

"Of course!" now Ron was showing signs of anger and annoyance, was the celebrity being daft on purpose?

"News to me, I never knew what happened to them."

"B-b-but your Harry Potter!"

"I am well aware"

"You must be super rich and powerful!"

"Certainly not rich, no idea about powerful." okay that was a half lie. Technically Harry knew he was powerful but until he had a standard to judge by he wasn't quite sure how powerful.

"Oh come on mate! I bet you are gonna rule at Hogwarts! We should be best buds, I can show you..."

At this point Harry stood and left the carriage, ignoring the confused looks of the three redheads.

***LoD***

"Perhaps Hogwarts was the wrong decision." the boy mused as he strolled towards the very back of the train. Thus far he had met a handful of his 'fellow students'... and found them all annoying beyond belief.

'Could you do something about... this please?' a voice in his mind practically begged, earning a chuckle from the boy and a slight gesture which removed the painted colors from both himself and Hedwig.

"I told you that 'being nice' wouldn't help anything."

The glare that the owl gave him earned another soft chuckle, she truly was far too emotional at times... which just happened to be one of the things he enjoyed most about her.

"E-e-excuse me... y-you haven't s-seen a t-toad h-have you?"

Turning slightly the emerald-eyed boy's eyebrow raised at the meek boy standing before him. "Can't say that I have. I heard that magic can do some amazing things though, perhaps one of the older students could use a locating spell of some kind?"

The boy's eyes widened, before he gave a thankful nod and ran off.

"He needs some serious work if he is going to survive in this school..."

***LoD***

"Alrigh alrigh firs years in the boats comeon comeon hurry now." The giant proclaimed and he urged the students into the, already cramped, boats.

Harry found himself stuck with the shy boy from before, a bushy-haired girl, and another brunette.

"I can't wait to start learning! Have all of you done your pre-class reading?"

The other two in the boat nodded, although the boy's was hardly noticeable. Harry merely shrugged.

"No? But it is so very interesting! I can't wait to look through their library!"

"Excuse me, why is your owl on your shoulder?"

All three sets of eyes were now turned towards the boy, who tried desperately not to roll his own. "She doesn't like being in a cage."

"B-b-but that is against the rules!"

"I never read any of the rules, so how would I know that?"

"But you know now!"

"I didn't buy a cage for her, she likes to be with me."

"B-but the rules..."

By this point Harry had tuned her out, glancing out over the waters at the castle looming before them.

***LoD***

The ghosts were a neat trick, if a bit much for those not used to magic. The enchanted ceiling... not so much. Sure it was pretty but compared to what they could have done with it... Harry glanced around the main hall with little interest at the older students and floating candles. They were all neat tricks but seemed rather silly to him.

"Settle down please, settle down students" A bearded man proclaimed before gesturing towards a stool positioned at the front of the room. "I would like to welcome everyone to another year at Hogwarts, for those of you starting this year I can only wish you the best in your studies. Now we shall begin the time honored tradition of sorting new students into the houses, Minerva if you please."

After a brief song, apparently sung by the hat itself, the woman lead the first student up to the stool, and placing the enchanted hat upon their heads.

A few seconds later and it would proclaim one of the four houses, before said student would be lead off to a corresponding table. Once again Harry grew bored, and glanced around the hall at the professors.

The older man gave him a nod, and raised a cup to him, odd.

A greasy haired man glared back with an unusual amount of animosity, not as odd.

A turban clad man stared, very odd considering that he appeared to have two different magical auras around him.

"Harry Potter!"

Apparently it was his turn, and the boy took the offered seat before the hat was dropped onto his head.

***LoD***